Helping international students helps our employers

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The federal government has moved forward on a Chamber advocacy initiative, paving the way for international students to help employers fill workforce vacancies.

The Chamber called on government to invest in retaining international students, who often spend co-op work terms learning Canadian skills needed by local employers. WorkBC forecasts Vancouver Island will face a massive jobs deficit by 2029, as our regional economy grows and our population ages out of the workforce.

International students can now apply for an open work permit that will be valid for 18 months and allow them to continue to build a life in Canada. “This new policy will help more graduates fill pressing needs in areas like health care, technology and more,” a federal government news release said.

Butchart Gardens closed to give staff time to rest

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The Butchart Gardens is closing for two weeks in February.

“In appreciation of the hard work our staff has done over the past difficult year, and to allow them time to rest and renew, The Butchart Gardens will close to the public from Feb. 1–15 inclusive,” says a statement on the iconic attraction’s website. “We look forward to welcoming you back on Feb. 16.”

The 55-acre property opened in 1904 and typically operates year-round.

Feedback sought on Oak Bay Lodge redevelopment

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If you have ideas on future uses of the former Oak Bay Lodge, the Capital Regional Health District wants to hear from you. The CRHD, a corporation of the Capital Regional District, has set up a website to engage with the community about the redevelopment of the lodge property. The senior care facility closed last summer, after moving all tenants to The Summit on Hillside Avenue.

“Working with the community to reimagine the future use of the property is a high priority project for the region,” said CRHD Board Chair Denise Blackwell.

For details on upcoming virtual open houses, as well as a feedback form and discussion guide, go to crd.bc.ca.

Municipalities begin 2021 financial planning process

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The City of Victoria has reached out for public input on its 2021 Draft Budget. Municipalities in BC typically begin their budget process early in the new year by compiling a wishlist that is then whittled down during deliberations. Victoria says it wants to keep any tax increase down to 1% plus inflation by focusing on essential services. To have your say on what Victoria is proposing, go to engage.victoria.ca to fill out a survey and get details on a Jan. 19 town hall.

With property assessments increasing across the board in the region, municipalities will need to adjust rates to cover their costs without increasing taxes for all property owners. The District of Saanich‘s website, which includes the graphic above, has good information on the financial planning process. The provincial government requires all BC municipalities to adopt their financial plans by March 31, and their annual tax rate bylaws by May 15 each year.

The Chamber will continue to advocate for fair rules to ensure municipalities don’t burden businesses by raising commercial property taxes. As Chamber members, Victoria, Saanich, Langford, Colwood, Esquimalt and View Royal have shown leadership by ensuring fair financial plans. If you have questions or comments about the budget process in any of these municipalites, contact The Chamber at communications@victoriachamber.ca and we will be happy to advocate on your behalf.

Colwood gondola an innovative plan for commuters

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Can a gondola help make it easier to move commuters between the West Shore and downtown Victoria? It’s not so far fetched.

Embracing opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will be a major theme in 2021. The Chamber has long been an advocate for innovations led by business as the most realistic approach to mitigating climate change.

Colwood Mayor Rob Martin has a vision to turn 10-acres of city-owned land into a park-and-ride featuring a gondola to move people from a site behind the new Royal BC Museum archive building to a proposed ferry terminal at Royal Bay. The idea is to reduce space needed along the waterfront for a commuter ferry, which already has the blessing of BC Ferries CEO Mark Collins.

The Chamber supports the idea of reducing vehicle traffic between downtown and the West Shore, and we would like to see the province fund a study to determine the feasibility of Martin’s plan.

Property assessments up after strong sales in 2020

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The new year brings new assessments for property owners in BC. The real estate sector in Greater Victoria was a bright spot in 2020 and it’s not surprising that assessments are up across the region.

A total of 8,947 properties sold last year, up 17.1% from 2019. The increased demand and limited inventory has raised house prices about 5 to 10% in the region.

In response, the province has raised the threshold for eligibility for the Home Owner Grant to $1.625 million. The province has also taken on administration of the grant, which was formerly done by municipalities.

To listen to Chamber CEO Bruce Williams discuss the state of real estate in Greater Victoria, check out our Chamber Chat with the Victoria Real Estate Board.

Fiscal update adds debt to keep economy active

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It’s clear that we will be dealing with the pandemic for many months to come, even as optimism grows over the imminent distribution of vaccines. On Monday, the federal government gave a fall fiscal update that included news about an economic stimulus war chest as well as important changes to the emergency wage subsidy.
 
Canada’s deficit will be close to $400 billion by the end of the fiscal year. To help the economy recover once the pandemic begins to wane, the government is setting aside $100 billion for stimulus.
 
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce, which has been one of the federal government’s key advisors, released a statement regarding the update. The Chamber has called on government to tailor its support to the most vulnerable sectors, and to have a plan to move beyond subsidies.
 
“Without strong and prolonged economic growth to resolve the country’s growing public debt, Canada’s growing obligations will adversely affect prosperity for future generations,” the Canadian Chamber said in its statement.

Shop local, Chamber Local, and support our business community

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We’ve always supported local business. Back to our founding in 1863, we helped Greater Victoria’s economy thrive by serving as a unified voice for enterprise.
 
Today, we continue to adapt and evolve our efforts to help the community by ensuring a strong regional economy.
 
As we launch our new Chamber Local campaign, we want to hear from you.
 
What does local mean to your business and to you and your family?
 
What binds this community together is our connections and our willingness to help. Maintaining our local businesses past 2020 and well beyond requires all of us to think about how shopping local supports our whole region. After all, when was the last time Amazon shopped at your business or sponsored your kid’s sports team?

Contact Thomas at members@victoriachamber.ca to submit a story for #ChamberLocalVicBC.

In the News: Read Jack Knox’s interview in the Times Colonist with Chamber CEO Bruce Williams: If our stores go dark, it really will be Black Friday

By-election between two candidates, experts say

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Voters have started casting ballots as advanced polls opened yesterday for the City of Victoria‘s Dec. 12 by-election. This campaign is higher profile than by-elections typically are, with political experts saying the race is between two candidates.
 
Stephen Andrew is running as a voice of change for people unhappy with the current council’s direction. Stephanie Hardman, alternatively, represents Together Victoria — the political group that successfully elected three of its candidates in 2018. Hardman told the Times Colonist she believes council is “moving in the right direction.”
 
To learn about where these two candidates stand on issues important to the business community, make sure to watch our virtual Candidate Discussion at victoriachamber.ca/vicbyelection. On the same page you can find a Q&A sent to all 11 candidates on the ballot.
 
For more information on when and where to vote, including for those who own property in the city but reside outside it, go to victoria.ca.

John Espley named Chamber Member of the Year!

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John Espley has been named Chamber Member of the Year for 2021 by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce.
 
“John is someone that knows everyone, He’s a familiar face at Chamber mixers and was one of the people who helped make our virtual events so successful this year,” says John Wilson, chair of The Chamber’s Board of Directors. “We’re delighted to recognize John for his support and I look forward to celebrating with him in 2021, as we continue working to rebuild and add resilience to Greater Victoria’s economy.”
 
Espley is a vocal champion of The Chamber and has been involved with the organization since the 1990s. Currently the Chief Connector for Connection Skills, Espley served as Chair of The Chamber’s Board of Directors in 2007. He is now a member of the Chamber’s Board of Governors.
 
“He is one of the strongest supporters of The Chamber I’ve ever met,” says Agilus Work Solutions’ Branch Manager Rose Arsenault, who nominated Espley and was herself Chamber Member of the Year for 2019. “John is always positive, always sharing information about the organization. He believes in the value of being a member and is always singing the praises of Chamber activities and advocacy efforts.”
 
For more information on The Chamber’s Member of the Year and all the categories in the 2021 Business Awards, go to victoriachamber.ca.

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